Container filling mechanism



Nov. 16, 1943. I. N. JORDAN 2,334,559

CONTAINER FILLING MECHANISM Filed April 3, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov.16, 1943.

( l. N. JORDAN CONTAINER FILLING MECHANISM Filed April w5, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet 2 saac /if rfar'darz.

is evenly aligned with the outlet guide 2-3.

Patented Nov. 16, 1943 CONTAINER FILLING MECHANISM Isaac N. Jordan,Chicago, 111., assignor to Armour and Company, Chicago, 111., acorporationof Illinois Application April 3, 1941,v Serial No. 386,593

.5 Claims.

This invention relates to. a container filling mechanism and isparticularly useful for filling cans or other containers with choppedcorn beef and meat and other products.

An object of the invention is to provide apparatus by which measuredamounts of meat or other products maybe quickly fed and packed within acontainer of a specific shape. A further object is to provide meanswherein an attendant can rapidly feed successive amounts of a productinto an open receptacle, then by operating a single treadle shape, theproduct within the receptacle and fit the same within a container, thefilled container being then automatically released for removal. Otherspecific objects and advantages will appear as the specificationproceeds.

The invention is illustrated in .a preferred embodiment in which- Figure1 is a side elevational view of an apparatus embodying my invention;Figure 2, a transverse sectional view, the section being taken asindicatedatline 2 ofFignre 1; Figure 3, a transverse sectional View, thesection being taken as indicated at line 3 of Figure -1; and Figure 4, a

broken plan detail view of the valve structure employed.

In the illustration given, A designates a frame; 13, a stuffing hopper;C, a can carriage device.

The framestructure A may be of any suitable form or type. In theillustration given, there are provided legs or pedestals l with a lower'be'd structure Hand an upper'bed or table structure I2. The bedstructure H. carries the pulley brace l3 and the valve .rod supportingstructure M. The upper bed or table carries a pulley strap [5a. The bed12 alsov carries the air cylinder supporting brackets l5 and thecarriage supporting bracket IS.

The hopper structure B rests directly upon the table or bed l2. Itprovides a stuffing chamber iii of thershape illustrated more clearly inFigure 2. The bottom wall ll of the chamber is generally V-shapedproviding approximately one-half of a rectangular channel. The upper.half of the rectangular channel is provided by the inverted V-shapedbottom orface i8 of the press l9. One wall 2% of the bottom of thechamber is extended laterally and the continuation thereof forms an openport 23 through which the meat or other products may be introduced. Thecasing provides end walls and side walls. The side wall 22, however, isinterrupted so as to provide communication between the port 2| and theinterior of chamber IS. an outlet nozzle or guide 23 which extendsrearwardly of the hopper and is adapted to snugly receive a rectangularcan 24. When the press i9 is in lowered position it forms a channelwhich A The chamber it is provided with plunger headzzfia. carriedjbycompressedair operated. rod 25 fits evenly within the channel providedby the bottom I] of theichamberand the pressihead 1'9 and when forcedforwardly causes the meat to be discharged through the channel andthrough the outlet guide 23,. The plunger rod 25 is guided within ablock,Zfisecured :to the hopper casing.

For reciprocating the press iii, .a cylinder 21 is supported upon thehopper casing B and is pro- 'vided with aipiston 28. A piston rod 28 isfixed to. the piston 28 and-to the press I9. A spring 30 normally urges.the piston 28 toward its upper position. Compressed air is fed throughline 3| :into the top of the cylinder '21 to move the piston 28downwardly.

For actuating the plunger rod :25 a compressed air cylinder 32 isillustrated, supported upon brackets 15 and provided with an air pipe 33communicating with one end and another air pipe 34 communicating withthe other end thus enabling the piston Within the cylinder to be movedin eitherdirec'tion.

.The' can carriage C may be of any suitable con- .struction. In theillustration given, it comprises rod members .35 supporting can carryingarms3-6 andv pressure end :member 31. Secured to the carriage is adepending plate 38 to which is secured a cable '39. The cable extends.under pulley 410 carried by the bracket l3 and over the pulley 41suspended by bracket Ma and is provided with a heavy weight 42 which:urges the carriage 'C to- Ward the can guide 23. A compressed aircylinder 43' is supported below the hopper-B and is provided with apiston secured to a rod 44, the forward end of the rod being fixed toplate 39. Compressed air is introducedinto the rear. of the cylinder '43through line 45.

For controlling the operation of the entire mechanism in the propersequence, I have provided valve structure which is controlled by a:single treadle. The treadle 46 is pivotally secured .upon .a bracket.41 and when depressed lowersa vertical link 48. The link at 'its top ispivotally connected to a short link 4'9 having one end pivotallyconnected to the frame A. Secured to the vertical link '48 is a rigidarm 58 supporting an angle iron plate 5i. To plate 5| are secured fourvalve rods '52, 53, 5'4 and 55. The rod 52 is'pivotally secured to avalve lever arm 52a'which rotates the core of a valve 521). Similarly,the rod 53 is connected to the valve lever 53a controlling valve 5319.Similarly, the valv rod 54 is connected to the valve lever 54acontrolling valve 5419. And likewise, the rod 55 is connected to thevalve lever 55a controlling the valve 55b." 'Compressed air enters thevalve through the inlet 56. Leading from the valves arethe'compressedair lines 3|, 33, 34 and 45. Each of the valves is alsoprovided with a port through-which the compressed air may be vented toth atmosphere from one side of the piston when it is desired to move thepiston toward that side. Each of the valve lever arms 52a, 53a, 54a and55a is provided with a spring 51, the upper end of which is secured to abracket 58 carried by the hopper casmg.

Operation I In the operation of the device, an empty can 24 is placedupon the carriage C with the open end of the can facing the guide 23.Upon the first movement of the treadle downwardly, compressed air isreleased from the cylinder 43 through the valve port in valve 53b andunder the influence of the weight 42 the carriage moves toward thehopper B and the can 24 is received upon the guide 23. A measured amountof the chopped corn beef or other meat or products has been introducedthrough the open port 2| and guided into the hopper bottom IT. Thecontinued downward movement of the treadle 46 causes valve 55b to admitair through line 3| to the top of cylinder 21. Piston 28 then movesdownwardly and the press head l9 descends closing off communication withthe open port 2i and forming a channel with the bottom of the hopper I1.This channel is the shape of the container or can 24 and the plungerhead 24a and it provides a continuous channel communicating venly andwithout break with the guide 23 so that the meat after being I reducedby means of the press 19 to a product of the desired shape may bepressed evenly into a container of the same shape. Continued downwardmovement of the treadle next causes valve 52 to admit compressed airthrough line 33 into cylinder 32 and the piston therein forces theplunger rod 25 toward the hopper 13 thus causing the plunger head 24a toadvance the meat within the channel in the bottom of the hopp r throughthe guide 23 and into the container 24. The yielding pressure carriage Cmaintains a uniform pressure against the advancing meat body so as toinsure the even filling of the container, as the container moves awayfrom the hopper B thus lifting the weight 42. When the pedal isreleased, valve 53b is opened to allow compressed air to flow into thecylinder 43 to force the plunger 44 forwardly to the position shown inFigure 1. By this movement the carriage C is advanced to free thecontainer 24 completely from the guide 23. In this position the fill dcan 24 may be readily removed. In each of the foregoing operations whichhave been described, and where a power cylinder is employed, the'valvesrelease the air from the side of the cylinder toward which movement isto be made. For example, when the piston stroke in cylinder 32 is towardthe hopper B, air is released through line 34 and valve 53b and viceversa, when th structure is in the opposite direction, air is releasedthrough line 33 and valve 521). In the initial downward movement of thetreadle, air is released through line 45 and valve 53b to permitthecarriage to be drawn toward hopper B. This is followed by the operationof 541) in releasing air through line 34. On the upward movement of thepedal, valve 55b releases the air pressure from the top of cylinder 29permitting the piston, under the force of the spring to be returned toits upper position. Also,

air is released through pipe 33 and valve,54b,; while at the same time,air is admitted through valve 54b into line 34 to effect a retraction ofplunger rod 25. I

In the sequence of operations described, it will be noted that ameasured quantity of meat is introduced into the hopper, the can isfitted upon the guide 23 under the influence of weight 42, air beingreleased from cylinder 43 through line 49 and valve 53b. The pressurehead l9 then descends to form the rectangular channel with the bottom ofhopper ll. The plunger 25 then advances to press the meat within thechannel forwardly through guide 23 and into container 24, the carriage Cyielding while at the same time exerting pressure against the incomingproduct which is filling the container 24. The forward stroke of thecylinder rod 44 then releases the filled container 24 from engagementwith the guide 23 so that it may be removed. Upon release of thetreadle, the press I9 is raised and the plunger 25 is retracted, thevarious parts being now in position for the next cycle of operations forfilling a new container.

Th hopper structure permits the operator to quickly introduce a measuredamount of meat and the remaining operations automatically cause theshaped meat to be introduced into the container. The operations arerapid and enable a single operator to fill a large number of containerswithin a modicum of time.

Instead of employing compressed air, it will be understood that vacuummay be employed or any other pressure fiuid used. In fact, the power maybe supplied in any form for effecting the movements desired.

While in the foregoing description, I have set forth certain details andcertain steps in a specific sequence, it will be understood thatconsiderable variation may be made in all of them by those skilled inthe art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for packing a comminuted meat product and the like into acontainer, comprising a chamber, means for laterally compressing theproduct within the chamber into a shape conforming in cross section tothe interior of the container, a discharge tube of a cross section shapesubstantially the same as the interior of the container communicatingwith said chamber in alignment therewith, said discharge tube providingmeans for slidably supporting the container in telescopic relationtherewith with the open end of the container received about thedischarge tube and the closed end of the container being immediatelyadjacent the end of the discharge tube, means for exerting longitudinalpressure against one end of the shaped product to cause the same to movein a longitudinal direction through the chamber and discharge tube andinto the container while the chamber and tube maintain the product underlateral compression, means for exerting yielding pressure against theend of the container opposing movement of the product whereby theproduct is tightly packed in the container and the container is slightlymoved from the discharge tube as the product is filled therein, andmeans for moving the substantially filled container in the direction ofmovement of the product to withdraw the container from the end of thedischarge tube.

2. Apparatus for packing a comminuted meat product and the like into acontainer, comprising a chamber, a press head having a bottom providingwith an opposing wall of said chamber a stufiing channel ofsubstantially the same polygonal cross section shape as the interior ofthe container, the press head being movable toward said chamber wall tolaterally compress the product in said channel, a discharge tube of apolygonal cross section shape substantially the same as the interior ofthe container communicating with said chamber in alignment therewith,said discharge tube providing means for slidably' supporting a.container of polygonal cross section in' telescopic relation therewith Vwith the open end of the container received about the discharge tube,the closed end of the container immediately adjacent the end of thedischarge tube and the walls of the container in alignment with thewalls of the discharge tube, a plunger movable in said channel and saiddischarge tube for exerting pressure against one end of the shapedproduct to cause the same to,

move through the channel and discharge tube and into the container whilethe channel and discharge tube maintain the product under lateralcompression, means for exerting yielding pressure against the end of thecontainer opposing movement of the product whereby the product istightly packed in the container and a chamber,- a press head having abottom providing with an opposing wall of said chamber a stuifingchannel of substantially the same polygonal cross section shape as theinterior of the container, the press head being movable toward saidchamberwall to laterally compress the product inverted Vandforming withthe'bottom of the chamber asubstantially rectangular channel, a

discharge tube communicating with said chamher and forming a rectangularcontinuation of in said channel, a discharge tube of a polygonal crosssection shape substantially the same as the interior a of the containercommunicating with said chamber in alignment therewith, said dischargetube providing means for slidably, supporting a container of polygonalcross section in telescopic relation therewith with the open end of thecontainer received about the discharge tube, the closed end of thecontainer immediately adjacent the end of the discharge tube and thewalls of the container in alignment with the walls of i the dischargetube, a plunger movable in said channel and said discharge tube forexerting pressure against one end of the shaped product to cause thesame to move through the channel and discharge tube and into thecontainer while the channel and discharge tube maintain the productunder lateral compression, means for exerting yielding pressure againstthe end of the container opposing movement of the product whereby theproduct is tightly packed in the container and the container is movedalong the discharge tube against said yielding pressure as the containeris filled, means operative when the'container is substantially filledfor moving the filled container in the direction of movement of theproduct to withdraw the container from the end of the discharge tube,and single means'for successively actuating said press head, saidplunger and said means for withdrawing the container,"

said channel, said tube providing'means for slidably'supporting acontainer in telescopic relation therewith with the open end of thecontainer received about the'discharge tube and the closed end of thecontainer'disposed immediately adjacent the end of the discharge tube,said channel and said tube being offsubstantially the same I crosssection shape as the interior of the container, means for reciprocatingsaid press head to laterally compress the product Within said channel, aplunger in said channel for engaging the end of the compressed producttherein, means for reciprocating the plunger to move the compressedproduct longitudinally throughthe channel and. the discharge tubecommunicating therewith and intothe container, the container being movedalong the discharge tubeas the product is filled therein, means forexerting the yielding pressure on the end of the container opposing the,

movement of said product whereby the product is tightly packed within.the container, and means for. moving the container in .the direction ofmovement of the product to withdraw the container from the dischargetube when the container is substantially filled. a

5. Apparatusfor packing a comminuted mea product and the like into acontainer, comprising a a casing providing a stuffing chamber having agenerally V-shaped bottom, a press head having its bottom portion in theshape generally of an inverted V and forming Withthe bottom of thechamber a substantially rectangular channel, a discharge tubecommunicating with said chamber and forming a rectangular continuationof said channel, said tube providing means for slidably" supporting acontainer in telescopic relation therewith with the open endof thecontainer received about the discharge tube and the closed end of thecontainer disposed immediately adjacent the end of the discharge tube,said channel and said tube being of substantially the same cross sectionshape as the interior of the container, meansfor reciprocating saidpress head to laterally compress the product Within said channel, aplunger in said channel for engaging the end of the compressed producttherein, means for reciprocating the plunger to move the compressedproduct longitudinally through the channel and V j the discharge tubecommunicating therewith 'and into the container, the container beingmoved along the discharge tube as the product is filled therein, meansfor exerting the yielding pressure on the end of the containeropposingthe movement of said product whereby the product is tightlypacked within the container, meansfor moving the container in thedirection of movement of the productto withdraw the container from thedischarge tube when the container is substantially filled, and singlemeans for suc- 4. Apparatus for packing acomininuted meat w product andthe likev into a container, comprising a casing providing a stufllngchamber having a generally V-shaped bottom, a press head having itsbottom portion in the shape generally 01'. an

- tion of the stroke of the plunger. v

- ISAAC N. JORDAN.

